Maternal vascular indices at 36 weeks' gestation in pregnancy with small or growth‐restricted fetus

ABSTRACT Objective To compare maternal vascular indices and hemodynamic parameters at 35–37 weeks' gestation in pregnancies complicated by delivery of a small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) or growth‐restricted (FGR) neonate. Methods This was a prospective observational study of women with a singleton pregnancy attending for a routine hospital visit at 35 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks' gestation. The visit included recording of maternal demographic characteristics, medical history, vascular indices and hemodynamic parameters, which were obtained using a non‐invasive operator‐independent device and included pulse‐wave velocity, augmentation index, cardiac output, stroke volume, central systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total peripheral resistance and heart rate. Women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy were excluded. SGA was diagnosed if birth weight was